John Cabot Academy, Bristol

In 2026, pupils at John Cabot Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 48.6, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 43.3 in South Gloucestershire and 47 across England.

45% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 40% in South Gloucestershire and 47% in England.

That is down from 52.1 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.44: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 42, against 51.7 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 9.7 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 21 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Business Studies and History.

For September 2026 entry, 103 families put John Cabot Academy as their first choice and 335 named it as one of their preferences, for 149 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to John Cabot Academy are Bristol Brunel Academy (0.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.1); Hanham Woods Academy (1 mile, Good, Attainment 8 44.6); King's Oak Academy (1.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 40.2); and Digitech Studio School (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 25.4).

John Cabot Academy's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.

John Cabot Academy is one of 36 schools run by Cabot Learning Federation, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 43.5 in 2024/25.

116 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about John Cabot Academy (as of September 2025): 73% would recommend the school, 85% say their child is happy there and 36% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (85%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (36%).

Of the 151 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 90% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 25% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

Of the 185 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 37% went on to university or other higher education, 3% to apprenticeships and 29% into work. 6% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

35.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 39.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (34%), Black (24%) and Asian (13%).

In 2026, 212 pupils (17%) received SEN support and 31 (2.5%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Lawrence Hill Rail Station, about 2.1 miles away in a straight line.

1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is John Cabot Academy (n-bound), 100 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 347 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in South Gloucestershire (116), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, John Cabot Academy issued 486 suspensions, 38 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to John Cabot Academy are Two Mile Hill Primary School (0.3 miles), Beacon Rise Primary School (0.3 miles), Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles) and Air Balloon Hill Primary School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.